Leicester City picked up their first pre-season victory yesterday evening with a comprehensive 4-0 thrashing of Hull City at the MKM Stadium. After defeat to Notts County and being held to a 3-3 draw with OH Leuven, it was an important result to remind observers that this Foxes squad is brimmed with quality and capable of putting together convincing performances.
Patson Daka gave the East Midlanders the lead in the first period, before two quick fire goals from Harvey Barnes and Wesley Fofana at the beginning of the second half put the result beyond doubt. James Maddison added brilliant fourth late on, to the delight of the travelling Blue Army. Brendan Rodgers will be encouraged by the ease with which his players brushed aside the Tigers, and here at Foxes of Leicester we decided to focus on three players who particularly impressed.
Leicester City’s Boubakary Soumare
As the Frenchman was preparing for the fixture, more concrete rumours regarding his future began to swirl around social media, with reputable sources suggesting a loan move to AS Monaco was edging closer. This might have spurred the midfielder on, whose performance as a second half substitute took many by surprise.
The lack of urgency out of possession and laboured running style he exhibited in parts of last season seemed to have departed, as he hustled and harried in a meaningful press, and when the ball was won back, he was effective in possession. Soumare had a hand in the second goal, playing a neat 1-2 with James Maddison that started well inside his own half, surging into Hull territory, and bursting past three Tigers players before setting up Barnes to score.
It’s unclear what the 2022/23 season will look like for the former Lille man, but if he was to depart, Brendan Rodgers must make sure it’s only on a loan basis. Soumare has all the necessary attributes to be a top Premier League midfielder, and a year’s stint back in Ligue 1 could be what’s needed for all parties. In giving up on him after just 12 months, the club risks the pain of seeing someone they let go turning into an important player elsewhere.
Patson Daka
Now the only outfield player to start every pre-season fixture, Patson Daka seems to be ahead of Kelechi Iheanacho in Brendan Rodgers’ thinking ahead of the Premier League campaign. A man who seemed to be lacking in confidence when deputising for Jamie Vardy last season now seems more energised to get in behind, make runs off the ball and contribute to the wider system Rodgers wishes to deploy.
A sharp change in direction early on saw the Zambian beyond the Hull backline, but a lack of support in the middle meant he had little choice but to drag a shot from a tight angle which ultimately trickled wide. Daka seemed more inclined to utilise his physical attributes, throwing himself into more one-on-one combat than he did last season.
He got his goal just before the half hour mark via a sumptuous finish, receiving the ball in transition as Dennis Praet dispossessed a dithering Jean Michael Seri. Daka was instantly on the scene, throwing his left arm between Seri and the ball to make sure it was his, and after two quick touches to set himself, curled a delicious effort into the left of the goal, bending inside the post from the edge of the D.
James Maddison
Leicester’s No. 10 was the star of the show in the second half, showcasing exactly why there have been so many calls for Gareth Southgate to reintegrate him into the England fold. The 25-year-old’s positional awareness and technical prowess was on show once more, as he shifted his momentum to create an angle for a cross shortly after entering the fray. All set up to whip the ball to the far post with his left foot, Maddison had us all fooled, including the Hull defenders, as he faked back onto his right, placing the ball perfectly onto the head of Fofana who leapt and nodded it into the net via the inside of the post.
The impact the attacking midfielder had on the tone of the Foxes performance was palpable. Maddison is at the stage now where fans are excited every time he picks up the ball, wondering what he’s going to do next or how he’s going to create an opening that nobody else can see. He also always strikes fear into the opposition when standing over a set piece, and this was on show once more as he flashed a free kick just past the post in the 62nd minute.
Maddison wasn’t done there, however, as he had one more show to put on for the travelling Foxes fans. Receiving the ball from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall with his back to goal, with just six minutes on the clock, the fan favourite decided he wanted to go for a worldie, turning sharply to nutmeg a Hull midfielder, before bursting forward and faking a shot past another Tiger and slotting a composed finish under goalkeeper Matt Ingram.
It’s only pre-season, but performances like this one from James Maddison display so much more than just how good he is in a certain game. When a player elevates his levels to that degree and takes command of a situation, it’s a trait that displays leadership, as his teammates and supporters all follow the same journey. If Maddison can be that influential in the Premier League, then he could have a very special season.